This invention relates to catalysts and dimerization processes utilizing catalysts. More particularly, this invention relates to catalyst systems comprising liquid alkali metals and particulates, and dimerization processes catalyzed thereby.
Catalyst systems comprising one or more elemental alkali metals deposited and/or supported on an alkali metal carbonate support have been disclosed in the art for use in dimerization reactions. The prior art teaches that a necessary step in the process of preparing these dimerization catalyst systems is deposition of one or more alkali metals on a support. However, elimination of a time-consuming catalyst preparation step, involving elemental alkali metal deposition onto a support, would be a significant advance in the art.